MRI-based prediction of very early recurrence within 1 year after resection of HCC: An international cohort study

The study aimed to develop and validate MRI-based models for predicting very early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within one year after surgical resection, addressing the lack of reliable noninvasive prediction tools. By analyzing a large international cohort, the authors created two models (MERP-pre and MERP-post) that outperformed existing prognostic systems and effectively stratified patients into distinct risk groups based on their one-year recurrence-free survival. These findings suggest that the MERP models could enhance risk-stratified management of HCC by integrating readily available clinical and imaging data.